Count Your Blessings

Thank you for praying for my cousin, Lisa.  She says, "My faith in God is holding me up."  I know that in the days to come she will be tempted to "curse God and die" as Job was encouraged to do.   The enemy of our souls loves to come into the midst of our pain, and bring more hurt, in the form of doubt and accusation.  I want to remember to up hold her in prayer in the days to come as I am now.  Her son's funeral is today at 2:00pm, so this will be another horrible day for her and the family.

This song was on my mind this morning.  This is a "lighthearted" style hymn that I grew up singing in church, but the words are true.    I feel like with the truths of this song, it should be sung with a more majestic tune.  Do you all know this song?

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
   
   

I love songs that tell about God character, goodness, mercy, love…and not the ones that talk about me and how I am going to worship him or love him or lift him up…I will fail and He never can. 

During this week that focuses on Thanksgiving, I always work to be deliberate in our focus of thankfulness for what we have, especially since we are headed into the season of what we want.  I don't mean to say that we demand or have things we think we deserve, but I always want my children to learn to 'Count their blessings.'  

When they start to grumble about things, I try to remind them that compared to most of the world we are wealthy beyond imagination!  Why each of us have our own beds - with pillows, and warm blankets.  We have four bedrooms and two bathrooms IN THE HOUSE!  Hot water, too, with a turn of the knob.  Add to that clothes, shoes, coats, hats, toys, computers, music and musical instruments, our health…well, you can see our blessings.  We are overflowing with them.

It's humbling to be so well cared for.

How about you?  Care to share your blessings?